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| Business Friends | |
if interested in becoming a Friend for the 2013-2014 school year.
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| FAQs | Question: I heard there was a change in how our Safeway/eScrip expenditures benefit schools? What's going on?
Answer: There have changes to Safeway Grocery Card program effective November 1: in order to continue earning from Safeway, we need to pay for groceries with a debit card, check, cash, or Safeway gift card. We can continue to pay for groceries with a credit card, but these purchases will not generate contributions for Chesterbrook. From August 1 through September 30, we earned $1,437.15, so this will be a significant change for us. The Giant and Harris Teeter programs still accept credit cards.
Question: Do all parents go to the Thanksgiving lunch? What is pumpkin surprise?
Answer: Many, many parents will come to school on November 21 for our annual Thanksgiving lunch (and many of them will volunteer to set-up, serve, or cleanup), but not all. Don't forget that if parents can't come, other caregivers or family members (lunch with grandma?) can come instead. Students without "dates" can sit with friends' parents or other friends, or sometimes even a teacher! As for pumpkin surprise, well, Chester isn't quite sure what exactly it is, but he knows he likes it!
Also, while you're there, take a peek through the Lost and Found in the hallway outside the cafeteria--it's starting to pile up again! You just might find that missing coat...
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Chesterbrook PTA Digest
No.7, November 11, 2013
Don't forget Book Fair all this week! Thanks to our volunteers and shoppers, our proceeds help the library purchase new materials, replace worn out materials, and support the entire school's technology program. In other fundraising news, our Lavender's catalog sale numbers are in: we budgeted bringing in $3,000, but we brought in nearly $5,000. Thank you to Judy Williams who has managed our sale for years and is in her final year at Chesterbrook (hint, hint, all you volunteers looking for a short but busy project!). Upcoming events: - Book Fair, Nov. 8-15
- PJ and story night at book fair, Monday, Nov. 11, 6 pm
- 3rd grade to Science Center, Nov. 12
- Pizza night at book fair, Thursday, Nov. 14, 6 pm
- Picture Makeup Day, Nov. 14
- Club and Candid Pictures, Nov. 15
- 1st grade Naglieri testing, Nov. 18
- Cultural Diversity meeting, Nov. 18, 9:30 am
- PTA meeting and Internet Safety speaker, Nov. 19, 7 pm
- Thanksgiving Lunch, Nov. 21
- Annual Turkey Trot, Nov. 27
- 2-hour early release, Nov. 27, 1:20 pm
- Thanksgiving holidays, Nov. 28-29
Chesterbrook mom Alison Banziger of xScion Solutions sends thanks to all those who donated clothing and accessories to the Dress for Success. With Chesterbrook's help they were able to donate over 900 items to help support the Dress for Success mission of promoting the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. |
Yearbook Artwork Submissions
| Artwork submissions from all interested students are now being accepted for the 2013-2014 yearbook! This year's theme is SUPERHEROES. Here is more information on how to submit. The deadline has been extended to this Friday, November 15!
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SCA Food Drive
| Don't forget to bring in non-perishable food items for the SCA (Student Council Association) Fall Food Drive! Through the Salvation Army, the SCA is collecting food donations so that lower income families in Fairfax County may enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner. Please consider bringing the following:
- canned vegetables (corn, peas, green beans, sweet potatoes)
- soup in cans or packets
- canned tuna
- canned milk
- canned tomato sauce
- beans in cans or bags
- peanut butter
- cans or packets of gravy
- packets or boxes of instant potatoes
- bags of pasta
- any other non-perishable canned or boxed goods.
Contributions can be left in the library anytime Monday through Friday. Please check expiration dates--we cannot send expired food. Thank you!
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| Candy Collection |  Got sweet treats you're not going to eat? Don't let that leftover Halloween candy go to waste (or your waist)! Put those treats to good use by donating them to the Chesterbrook Fun Fair. The Fun Fair committee will gladly take your leftover candy and use them to fill the always-popular "guesstimates" jars. Please drop off an wrapped goodies to our specially designated drop box in the main office now through November 16th. Thank for your help! Questions or for more information on helping with Fun Fair? Contact Jennifer Von Elm and Hope Perlish, Co-Chairs. |
Book Fair This Week
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Our Fall Book Fair is this week! As always, there are hundreds of books for all ages covering all genres, including classics, favorite series, award winners and new releases. There is a wide assortment of games and other items. It's the perfect place to do some holiday shopping! Don't forget to check out your teachers' wish lists too! Students completed wish lists during their class preview times on November 7th and 8th. The lists will include each book's cost (there's no tax) so parents can send their child in with a check payable to Chesterbrook PTA. The children can also come any time during the  school hours to shop for books on their own or they can come by with a parent. Book Fair Hours Monday, 8:15 am until 2:00 pm, Tuesday - Friday, 8:15 am until 4:15 pm Pajama Night Monday (tonight!), 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm, All students may wear PJs and drink milk and cookies while Mrs. Buckley reads bedtime stories in the center pod. Pizza and Raffle Night Thursday, 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm. Pizza, drinks and dessert will be offered for sale in the cafeteria along with some healthy food options. If you pre-ordered dinner, you can find it in the cafeteria. Also, we'll raffle two baskets (geared to K-3rd and 4th-6th) of books, games and other goodies. Raffle tickets are $1 each and can be purchased anytime during the book fair up until the drawing. You will not need to be present to win. Food Bus Fundraiser Don't forget to stop by the cafeteria even if you aren't eating to support the Food Bus and purchase some fabulous rainbow loom bracelets made by our very own Chesterbrook students. Food Bus is the charity that works to design, implement and maintain systems by which unused/unopened food leftover from elementary school lunches (including our own!) is saved from being thrown out as waste and then is distributed to local food pantries. Volunteers We can still use a couple more volunteers. Details are on the Sign Up Genius, including welcome middle school volunteers to help out with pack up and the evening events. Please note the middle schooler's name in the "comments" section of the signup. Questions? Contact Beth Stewart or Robin Birchfield. Thank you for supporting the Book Fair! |
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| Thanksgiving Lunch |  Thanksgiving Lunch on Thursday, November 21st is a special event at Chesterbrook Elementary where most parents take the opportunity to have lunch at school with their child during their class time slot. Many hands are needed to make this possible! Our lunch staff cannot serve this many Thank-Full people on their own. This year we need about 40 volunteers and still need LOTS of help! Please sign up to help with one or more shifts on our Sign Up Genius. All classes are listed in a time range window to make it easier for you to plan your volunteer time so you can still eat with your child. Please check the schedule for the exact time of your child's lunch, and plan to help for the entire shift. It is difficult if volunteers need to leave early or if they come late to their shift! Questions? Contact Jeannine Bottorff. |
| Online Safety Presentation | | "How to Keep Your Kids Safe in Today's Digital World"
Please join us at the November 19, 7 pm PTA meeting for a presentation by Richard Stegman of the FCPS Office of Instructional Technology Integration on internet safety for our children. Mr. Stegman's presentation will cover the top five dangers to children on the internet: data theft, malicious software, inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and predators. For more information about the presentation, please click here for a copy of his handout.
This presentation is open to all, so please pass along to neighbors and friends. Be advised, however, that the presentation is intended for adults and some content may not be appropriate for children. We hope to see you there.
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| FCPS Budget Update | |
As you may have heard, the news about next year's FCPS budget is not good. The county anticipates a shortfall of over $140 million dollars - and unlike years past, does not expect to be able to close that gap with additional funding - which means that budget cuts will be made. Late last month, Fairfax County School Superintendent Dr. Karen Garza released an initial list of suggested reductions - including several that could affect Chesterbrook. These include: increasing class sizes, eliminating FLES (our Chinese language program), reducing Assistant Principal staffing, reducing school counselor and psychologist staffing, eliminating instructional aides including kindergarten aides, reducing administrative staff, and reducing custodial staff. As part of the budgeting process, the School Board is looking at Dr. Garza's proposals, as well as considering other options. For more information about the 2015 budget and the budget process, visit http://www.fcps.edu/news/fy2015.shtml.
We encourage parents to learn more about the proposed cuts and make their voices heard about those that concern them by attending upcoming budget meetings and/or contacting county officials. A list of school board members and county supervisors (including our Dranesville representatives, School Board Representative Janie Strauss and District Supervisor John Foust) can be found here.
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| Note from Ms. Leung | |
Dear Chesterbrook Parents and Guardians,
As many of you probably have heard, Fairfax County Public School is facing nearly a $150 million dollar shortfall in the coming fiscal year. Per Dr. Karen Garza's plan, one of the many potential casualties is the FLES (Foreign Language in the Elementary School) program. This will create a huge setback for the students for the foreseeable years. Unlike riding a bike, language skill takes time and needs practice to master. If the FLES program is eliminated, our kids will lose the critical years to develop these skills. The next opportunity for the kids to learn a foreign language would be in middle or high school, when all the kids will have to start all over again and fall behind the curve. They have built a very strong and solid foundation and a pause would be devastating to any learning progress. Nearby school systems are now copying the success of Fairfax County and are beginning to offer FLES or similar program to play catchup. As the world becomes more and more connected, we need to be able to communicate by more than one language. I encourage you to reach out the School Board immediately to voice your support so they can prioritize funding for this wonderful program. Contact Jane Strauss:
If you have any question or concern, please feel free to reach me at pikkeipeggy@hotmail.com. Thank you for your concern for the benefit, welfare, and education of the students.
Regards,
Pik Kei (Peggy) Leung
FLES Chinese Teacher
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| School Outreach | Please consider making some time to participate in the Points of Light Family Volunteer Day: Saturday, Nov. 23. Click here for more information.
Also, a McLean resident is embarking on a new photography education project in partnership with City Year DC, an education-focused non-profit that unites young people of all backgrounds for a year of full-time service to keep students in school and on track to graduation. They are planning to pilot a City Year/Shootback project at Thomas Elementary School  (Anacostia Ave NE, DC) in January 2014, possibly as a special 5th grade-wide project. Do you have any old digital cameras, cellphones with cameras, or even old laptops that you would like to donate to their creative cause? There will be a collection box outside the library. Thank you!
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| Note from Connect-McLean | Connect-McLean (www.connect-mclean.com and www.facebook.com/ConnectMcLean), a group of neighbors and families advocating for pedestrian safety in McLean, particularly on Kirby Road and Chesterbrook Road, is a proud partner of the PTA. CES is one of seven "unwalkable" schools, as determined by FCPS. Connect-McLean wants to change that and needs your help!
Do you have children playing sports at Linway Terrace Park? Do you have swim or tennis lessons at Chesterbrook Pool or Highlands Pool? Do you worship at Chesterbrook UMC or St. Dunstan's? Would you like to walk to the merchants in the Chesterbrook Shopping Center? Do you want your children to have a safe route to CES and Longfellow Middle? If so, we need the county to install the missing sidewalk links along Kirby Road and Chesterbrook Road.
Progress has been made, and these missing sidewalk links have been identified and added to Fairfax County's unfunded priority list. However, YOUR help is needed to help determine their priority! Community support is one criteria the county uses for awarding dollars for projects. There are two steps to ensuring Chairman Bulova, the Board of Supervisors and the Department of Transportation hear our voices:- Take the Fairfax Co. Dept. of Transportation survey before Nov. 21 at: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/cdot/. You will be asked to vote for your top five projects. The seven projects relating to Kirby and Chesterbrook Roads are: #105-107 and #140-143.
- Attend the Dranesville District public meeting on Thursday, November 21st at 6:30 pm at Spring Hill Elementary. We need bodies to fill the room and we need voices to state their support. Not sure what to say? Connect-McLean suggests the following talking points on the website.
Questions? Please visit us at www.connect-mclean.com and www.facebook.com/ConnectMcLean. You can also reach us at connect-mclean@outlook.com. |
Cultural Diversity Committee
| The PTA Cultural Diversity group meetings offer parents opportunities to share their culture and learn about other cultures. The group members and volunteers also help Chesterbrook families new to the area or country get to know more about our school and neighborhood.
We need your help with our upcoming meeting on November 18! As the holiday season is approaching, we'd like to invite parents to come talk about how they celebrate the various year-end holidays in the U.S. (such as Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas, New Years, etc.), as well as share and learn how they celebrate holidays in other countries. Please let us know if you are able to attend!
The meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 18 from 9:30am to 11:00 am at Yoonhee Lee's home (children welcome). Please RSVP to Fenny Hurwitz or 508-333-7967. We hope to see you at the meeting!
Thank you and we wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!
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Friends of Chesterbrook
|  With the Online Auction on hiatus this year, this is one of Chesterbrook PTA's primary means to support important academic and school support needs. We ask for everyone's support of $100 per family to reach our goal, but your gift of any size is appreciated. Check out all our donors so far! We can also help determine whether your company participates in a program to match employee donations.
Businesses that donate $500 to our "Business Friends of Chesterbrook" program will be recognized on our website and in other ways at school. For more information visit our website and click on the "Become a Business Friend" tab.
There are two easy ways to give:
- You can donate online on our website: Family Friends or Business Friends.
- You can donate by check. Please make checks payable to "Chesterbrook PTA" and forward to school via backpack mail or mail it directly to Chesterbrook PTA, 1753 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101.
Contact Trisha Downey or Amanda Abraham with any questions. |
Family Directory
| The Family Directory has been distributed to all PTA members. If you did not yet join, go online to the PTA website and purchase your membership there. Families are encouraged to join for $20; however, individual memberships are  available for $10. If you did not receive a directory and believe you did join the PTA, please contact Maryam Redjaee.
Remember, the more you support the PTA, the more the PTA can support our kids. Thank you for your support!
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| SCC Race to Nowhere Followup Speaker, Nov 19 |  New York Times bestselling author and noted educator Dr. Madeline Levine comes to our community next month. She will offer practical advice for parents based on her books, Price of Privilege and Teach Your Children Well. Dr. Levine's focus is on parenting that leads to healthier, happier teenagers who attain authentic success. Join the SCC and help start a conversation about solutions on November 19, 7-9 pm at the Alden theater, McLean Community Center. $10 per person. Books available at discount at Books-A-Million (1451 Chain Bridge Road) beginning October 10 and at event. Fundraiser at BAM to benefit the Safe Community Coalition held November 16-17. 
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Shop Amazon and Earn Money for Chesterbrook
| Earn 4% - 10% of your purchase for Chesterbrook when you shop at Amazon.com!
- Visit www.chesterbrookpta.org and click on the Amazon icon on the right to help our school. Always use it to access Amazon before you add items to your cart.
- The more items our community buys, the higher the percentage we earn each month. Every purchase counts...movie downloads, electronics, sports equipment, grocery items, Kindle books, even 99 cent music downloads! Use the link whenever you visit Amazon.
- This is an easy fundraiser for Chesterbrook and it requires nothing more than using our link whenever you shop at Amazon.
- Your support is greatly appreciated. Please participate! Please share this link your family, friends and co-workers.
Email amazon@chesterbrookpta.org if you have questions. Tell everyone in your household who orders through Amazon!
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 Check out the Chesterbrook PTA Facebook page! We'll keep you up to date and in the know! |
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Chesterbrook PTA Newsletters Disclaimer
The Chesterbrook PTA Newsletter (Weekly Digest and Digest PLUS) may contain external links to non-Chesterbrook ES PTA websites and access to certain third-party services, which may include, without limitation, social bookmarking services. These external links and services are provided as a convenience, and the Chesterbrook ES PTA is not responsible for the content of any linked website or use of any third-service service. Any external link to a non-Chesterbrook ES PTA website or service accessed from the Chesterbrook PTA Newsletter is independent from the Chesterbrook ES PTA, and the Chesterbrook ES PTA has no control over, and assumes no responsibility for, the content, privacy policy, terms of use and practices of such website or service. Any such website or service has terms of use and a privacy policy different from the Chesterbrook ES PTA's privacy policy. In addition, an external link to any non-Chesterbrook ES PTA website or access to a third-party service does not imply that the Chesterbrook ES PTA endorses or accepts any responsibility for the content or use of such website or service. By using any such website or service, you expressly release the Chesterbrook ES PTA from any liability arising from your use of such third-party website and service and any related content. |
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